Catheters



Oct. 21, 1958 D.A PE'rlLLo I 2,856,934

GATHETE'RS Filed sept. 24, 1957 v 2 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR. DIOMEDE PETILLO BY FQ Oct.'2l, 1958 D. PETlLLo 2,855,934

CATHETERS Filed Sept. 24, 1957 l l 2 Sheets-Shea??l 2- INVENTOR. DIOMEDE PETILLO E` BY 'LTC-U ATTORNEY nited States The invention relates to catheters used by urologists to catheterize a bladder retaining urine that cannot be passed spontaneously because of a strictured urethra. In

i atent t this type of catheter, to pass the catheter safely through Q the urethra into the bladder without traumatizing the organ, the catheter itself usually follows a very tine plastic guide line or sound known as liliform which has been previously passed through the urethra into the bladder as a guide and is then connected to the tip of the follower through a minute screw. This arrangement, however, is cumbersome and dangerous. After inserting the liliform, it is difficult and cumbersome to thread the follower to the liform which tends to spiral during the threading, making it difficult or even impossible to safely slip in the follower. Furthermore, in order to gain the prostatic curve during catheterization, the follower must be pushed and pressed down simultaneously, creating pressure at the tip resulting occasionally in the accidental breaking of the minute screw or the liform itself and the release of the filiform into the bladder. Another disadvantage is caused by the fact that the outside opening of the follower through which the urine leaves the instrument is directed upward when the instrument has been inserted into the urethra making it diiicult to direct same into a container and avoid wetting the patient and the examining table.

The purpose of my invention is to eliminate all these difficulties by creating a catheter consisting of a tiliform and a follower where no screw is required to connect them, thereby eliminating the need for threading and the danger connected with it. A further purpose is to provide in an instrument of this type, a tiliform in which the danger of breaking and release of part of the filiform into the bladder is excluded for all practical purposes. Still another purpose of the invention is to create such an instrument which will direct the ow of urine downward when inserted into the urethra thereby permitting an orderly collecting of same in a vessel or other container.

Other advantages and novel features of my new construction will become apparent from the following specification if considered in connection with the attached drawings, forming part of same, in which:

Fig. 1A is a side elevational view of a follower embodying my new invention, and

Fig. 1B is a similar view of my new liform to be used in conjunction with my new follower shown in Fig. lA.

Fig. 2 is a cross section of my new catheter, showing my new liliform inserted into my new follower and in cooperation with each other;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section of my new lform, showing details of its construction.

Like numerals refer to identical parts throughout all the drawings.

My new construction is shown in Fig. 1A, 1B in side elevation, in Fig. 2 the follower is shown in cross section with the liform inserted, and Fig. 3 shows an enlarged section of the tiliform constructed according to my new invention.

My new follower 20 is a hollow, rigid tube of metal or plastic, approximately 12 inches long, curved on one end to conform to the prostatic curvature as shown in Fig. lA. My new follower, however, has no screw on its curved end, but merely a narrow opening 24 leading inside of the hollow tube ending in the opening 21 at the straight end of the follower. passing of a tiliform with, or up to a caliber No. 5 French scale only. (The French scale generally used in connection with these instruments expresses the circumference` in millimeters.) i Near the curved end of the follower, on its side there is an opening 22 through which the urine can enter the tube and the follower is further provided, near its straight end 21 with a spout 23 facing in a direction opposite the curvature of the other end of the follower, the purpose of this spout 23 being to permit the discharge of the urine in a downward direction when the instrument is inserted into the urethra.

The liforrn 25 is essentially a flexible plastic line, made usually of a woven central core of nylon thread with an outer coat of plastic. with a tine metallic, preferably silver wire 27 running on its inside at least through part of the filiform: from A to D in Fig. 3. It has an approximate length of 261/2 inches, and has three varying diameters (calibers) along its length. Looking at Fig. 3, the segment C--E which is destined to pass the urethral stricture and enter the bladder cavity, is about 121/2 inches long. At the initial point E its caliber is preferably No. 3 or No. 4 French scale. As it advances to point C, the caliber is gently increased to No. 6 French scale and remains so until point B from where -it recedes to No. 5 French scale and remains so to point A. The Wire 27 reinforces the filiform from the initial point A to D, without interfering with its exibility, yet greatly increasing its durability and eliminating the possibility of breaking and releasing part of the filiform inside of the bladder.

Fig. 2 shows a crossl section of the follower with the fiiliform inserted through opening 24 up to that part 26 of the filiform where its caliber is increased to No. 6 French scale, prohibiting further passage into the follower.

In actual application, the iliform 25 is passed through the urethral stricture into the bladder of the patient up to the part with the increased caliber 26 which may be marked also by a color band. Now the free end of the liform 25 is inserted into the top opening 24 of the curved end of the follower 20 and the follower is slipped over the iilform until it is stopped by the increase of caliber 26 at which time-the free end of the filiform Will emerge through the opening at the straight end of the follower 21, and catheterization may proceed from hereon in the usual manner, without the danger and cumbersome operation of the screwed on followers in use heretofore.

Of course, the follower may be constructed in the usual variety of sizes, with the usual l2 inch length, the size being 'generally identified by the maximum circumference in millimeters (French scale). The conventional outiit consists of eight units from No. l2 to No. 26 French scale. These numbers relate, ofcourse, only to the main body as the size usually recedes in all units at the prostatic curve to about size No. 9.

As to the liform, it is preferably about 26% inches long and preferably made in two sizes: one with an initial caliber (at E in Fig. 4) of No. 3 and another with an initial caliber of No. 4 on the French scale, both increasing gradually at No. 6 at point C, remaining at this caliber until point B where it recedes at No. 5 French scale and remains so until point A.

However the above represent only preferred construc- The ynarrow opening permits the tions and are given as illustrative examples which are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, as changes in sizes, shape and arrangements are possible without departing/from the spirit of the invention asdefined inthe following'claims.

I claim asrny invention:

1. A catheter of thertyp?.r described, consisting of a litorm andl a followerfor insertioninto theurethra; said; follower consisting of a rigidhollow tube with two open'ends andcurved` on one end, having a side opening close to its curved end; said filiforrn consisting of a thin flexible plastic line of approximately twice the length of the follower, increased in thickness at approximately in the middle of its length permitting the entering of the liforrn into the opening at the curved endl only up to the point of increased thickness;r said liform being inserted' into said follower up to the point of increased thickness and guiding the follower within the urethra.

2. A catheter consisting of a tiliform and follower as described in claimA 1, said liformbeing provided on the inside with a metallic wire.

3. A catheter consisting of a liform and follower as described in claim 1, said follower being provided near its straight end with a spout in a direction opposite the curvature of the other end of the follower for the discharge of urine.

References Citedin` the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,221,138 Hendrickson Nov. 12, 1940 2,268,321 Flynn Dec. 30, 1941 2,751,911 Held June 26, 1956 2,888,833 August Oct. 8, 1957 

